pusher

This is not an MF. 11 or 11bis... but rather an F.40 series which was more powerful and stronger and replaced the MF.11 and 11 bis types in service.

This one is very difficult to classify. I have never seen a F.40 model with a typical MF.11 rear end before..... Stig

There were several subvariants. The MF-11 was an 80 hp Renault-powered machine w/ simple slab-sided nacelle. The MF-11bis had a 130 hp Renault engine and an additional "visor" looking addition to the front nacelle w/ two circular windows on each side of the nose. The next design type revised the nacelle w/ a smoother, rounder monocoque streamlined nacelle. This photo reflects that. The Farman brothers each had their own "line" of aircraft being produced, the HF or Henri Farman Series and the Maurice Farman MF series. Later, they got rid of HF or MF and just went to F for Farman. So the designation of F.40 and various subvariants like F.41, F.41bis, F.42. Look in James Davilla's book on French Aircraft of WWI by Flying Machines Press for a lot more detail into the variants and their miniscule specs and details.

So I did Aviatik The problem is that there is no photograph in Davilla/Soltan's book of any F.40 with the old tail shown here. They all have a single fin. If, as you say, this is a F.40 model/variety, I have never seen one as this before combining old and new features. So it is up to you if you are convinced since I stick to not being certain.... :-) Reason the Farman brothers had their own designation system was that they were two different companies. When they went together they decided to use just one letter. Stig

These two appear to be the same biplane:




Not sure what it is though. It almost looks like something from Blériot, with the broad tail wings like that, but I'm having trouble finding one that seems to be a match. The closest could be the Blériot, II, but that seemed to have vertical fabric segments between the upper & lower wings in both the main & tail wings, and the plane in this photo doesn't seem to be like that:



Also, the plane in that photo is a flying boat, and this one has wheels. So there's that, too. Could be in the same family though?

Chris Devers That is a good lead, thanks!

Ah, here we go: is this a Farman Biplane or Farman III?





The features seem similar, including:
• seems to be a pusher design
• combination ski / dual-wheeled undercarriage
• fore & aft biplane wing structure
• similar pattern to the vertical struts: |___|___|_|_|___|___|

The Bristol Boxkite seems to be very similar (apparently Farman sued Bristol for stealing the design), but the Boxkite seems to have two vertical tails, and this aircraft only has one, so I suspect this isn't a Boxkite, unless there were variant designs with a different tail construction.

Exactly this is the Henry Farman Type III pusher biplane flown by Louis Paulhan at the Los Angeles International Air Meet 1910. Lots of photographers were around, so the flying was heavily documented. Look also at the California State University Dominguez Hill Doigital collection at archives.csudh.edu:2006/cdm4/aviationmeet.php

It's a Farman-4 single rudder pusher biplane with Gnome rotary engine 50 h.p. Most successful Henry Farman modification 1909-1910.

Looks to me as a tractor plane, considering the position of the undercarriage skid, steering wheel and rudder. I don't think this design is from Glenn Curtiss.